Baby Pekin with leg problem

[PrettyPekins]

Hi - I have a 4 week old Pekin bantam chick hatched and raised so far by his mum as one of four. We noticed on the weekend that he kept sitting down and was not keeping up with his siblings and mum, then he would suddenly run very fast over to join them again. On Monday when I got home he appeared to have lost the use of his legs, one was pointing forward.

A local expert said my chick had Mareks and should be put down, but I am sceptical as the others are fine and I have never has any diseases. I only keep 5 birds and this is the first time that they have been allowed to breed. I immediately cleaned everything and separated him as a precaution anyway.

I researched a lot on this Forum and braced his legs with VetWrap as it looked like one was slipping forward and out. The other the foot is on the side so his toes are not out straight. he was running around perfectly fine a week ago..

I went to a vet last night and he said that the hip joint was rotated and that I should brace his legs and sit him in a doughnut.

Can anyone tell me/show me what this should look like? Here is a photo of my chick this morning and he keeps peeping and trying to struggle free. Does this look correct? Should his feet be touching the ground? I have twisted a towel round and VetWrapped it into a doughnut. The chicks legs are still braced. Every now and then he struggles and is pushing with his legs - which I guess is good? - but when I check his right foot/toes are still turned over. There doesn't seem to be much life in the right foot but before he was put in this doughnut he was getting around on his hocks. Am worried.


Does this look right to you - any suggestions?

Thank you!

 

[BantyChooks]

I don't know, hopefully others will chime in, but good luck!! You are doing an excellent job trying to help this little one.
-Banti

 

[PrettyPekins]

Thanks Banty!

We have progressed from the 'donut' which he kept struggling to get out of and struggled so much that he had a prolapsed bottom, twice, which I managed to push back in. We then progressed to a see-thru plant pot. Using a soft stretchy length of bandage material at the top with a poop hole cut in the back and then putting that through his legs and under his belly, we made a kind of sling to take the weight off his legs a bit, although I followed the on-line guidance to keep his feet on the floor (foam in the bottom of the pot). I had to put pieces of foam at the sides to try to 'hold' his hips. He constantly pulled his legs up and down and kicking so I had to keep re-positioning it! He is a lot calmer like this, cheeping at me every time I talk to him, and no further bottom troubles thank goodness. No more donuts for him!

He has been pooping, eating all fine and preening the bits he can get to. I have had to give his a good scratch in the other places!
He is now 32 days old.

Having just returned from the vet, the instruction was to keep his legs taped together and to suspend him to enable his legs to stretch and to keep his hips straight. The vet said its because his hips twisted that the tendon is out of place. he's going back to see the vet in 3 days time. See below - for Mk2 plant pot! This is simpler as I taped some curved foam pieces to the sides to help hold his hips. The vet also said his feet should not touch the bottom. I feel so bad for him, as he is missing out on so much running around with mum and his brothers and sisters. Just hoping something might work for him....

 

[Sculptress]

Hi, I have exactly the same problem with a Pekin Chick. I have done everything that you have done so far....did it work with your chicken, what was the outcome??? My little chick is so happy, chirping away all the time. Has a good appetite and drinks well but, just can't seem to get her legs underneath herself to be able to walk properly. There is no problem with her seven siblings.
Kind regards,
Gill